Abdominal bandage.



Pat'ented Apr. 29, |902.`

E. LQABBUTT. ABDOINL BNDGE. (Appnmmn man 1 1901 (No Model.)

5mm/t: i

i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EVERETT L. ABBOTT, OF NEI/V YORK, N. Y'.

ABDOIVIINAL` BANDAG E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,426, dated Apr129, 1902.

Application filed March l, 1901,.

T all whom zmay concern'.-

Be it known that I, EVERETT L. ABBOTT, a citizen of theUnited States, and a resident of New York, Manhattan borough, in the county7 and State of New York, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Abdominal Bandages, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a View in perspective of an. abdominal appliance embodying my said irnprovements. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation view of the front protective or supporting member of my improved appliance, the outer section thereof being shown as laid over or folded upon itself to more clearly disclose the fasteners which I employ in connection with my said appliance and the manner of connecting said fasteners. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View further illustrating the prac'- tical application of the connected fasteners to my said improved appliance. Fig. fl is a sectional view of the front protective and supporting member of my improved appliance, illustrating the dished or concaved contour given thereto when the leader connecting the fasteners is duly adjusted.

Similar' reference-numerals denote like parts as the same appear in the respective views of the drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in contrivances of that class commonly known as abdominal protective and supporting appliances, the same being designed for adj ustment about the abdomen of an individual for protective, supporting, and reducing purposes.

The object of my invention is to provide an appliance of the character above indicated which shall be sim ple, inexpensive, and novel as regards construction, which shall embody a series of fasteners so connected that each may yield or tilt in all directions without sacrificing or dispensing with the aid of its neighbor or neighbors in resisting strain in practical service, which shall embody a part or parts whereby the protective and supporting member or members of the appliance may be given a contour dished or concaved to meet the requirements of the user, which shall be durable and eiicient in operation, and which shall Serial No. 49,412. (No model.)

possess certain well-defined advantages over prior analogous structures.

The invention consists in the novel construction of the applianceas a whole, in the employment as an essential feature of said appliance of a series of peculiarly-connected fasteners, in the employment of means whereby the protective and supporting member or members of said appliance may be given a dished or concaved contour, and in certain details of construction, all of `which will be specifically referred to hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims.

, Having reference to the accompanying drawings, 2 denotes the front protective and supporting member of my improved appliance, 3 the rear supporting and protective member thereof, and 4,4' connections for adjustably uniting the said front and rear members, as by means of the clasps or buckles 5.

The members 2 and 3 are ordinarily composed of a plurality of superimposed sections of iexible material, such as silk fabric, chamois-skin, or the like.

6 denotes the fasteners which I make use of, suitably spaced, suitably located with respect to the front and rear members 2 and 3, or either, and for connecting each of which fasteners with its neighbor or neighbors I employ the leader 7, of any material suitable to insure said leader having auniversally flexible character or quality. Ordinarily the leader 7 will be formed from wire.

The leader 7 is here shownv as interposed between the superimposed sections of flexible material composing the respectivemembers 2 and 3 of my improved appliance and as coiled upon itself at intervals to form eyes, as 8, into each of which is inserted under some force, by preference, one of the fasteners 6, the latter projecting outwardly through suitable perforations formed in the outer sec tionrof the material of which the members 2 and 3 are respectively composed. y

Where the leader 7 is inserted `between superimposed sections of iiexible material, as indicated clearly yin Fig. 2 of the drawings, thesaid sections of material are `stitched or otherwise secured together along eachside of the leader 7, the back section of material thus serving to prevent rearward displacement of IOO the fasteners 6; but where the fasteners,with the leader 7 connecting them, are employed in connection with a single section of exible material a narrow strip of flexible material may be likewise secured oversaid leader at the back of theperforated or single section of material, or other suitable means may be employed for preventing rearward displacement of said fasteners.

The fasteners 6 are shaped each at its rear end so as to engage the eye 8 in a manner to prevent forward displacement thereof and suitably shaped at its outer end for attachment thereto of hose-supporters 9, napkinsupporters 10, or other objects.

In some instances it may be desirable to employ the fasteners 6 after the manner of rivets, as indicated at 6, Fig. 3,.and under such conditions the eye 8, if the leader 7 is formed from metal, serves as a substantial base for the riveting process. Again, where it is desired to impart to the member 2 or the member 8 a concaved or dished form I adjustably unite the terminals of the leader 7, as by roughening saidterminals and employing a union l-l, thus forming a continuous leader of less lengt-h than the course along which it extends and as formed by stitching or securing together the sections of material,

as rhereinbefore described. Other means than the union 11 may, if desired, be employed for uniting the terminals of said leader.

I-t--will be observed that the leader 7 eX- tends from one fastener to its respective neighbors and is wound or coiled around each,

andwhere desired the respective ends or terminals thereof are adjustably or otherwise fastened, as the user may elect.

A In practice the leader which I employ for connecting the fasteners 6 relieves the material from which the respective members?J and 3 are formed of a deal of strain, and this irre--V Vspective of the direction of such strain, it

furnishes an efficient reinforcement or base for the fasteners, which materially aids in the retention of said fasteners in place for service, and it obviates the care heretofore imperative in the cutting of woven stock, as for the said members 2 and 3, the said leader rendering practicablethe use for these members, or either of them, of woven fabric out on a bias or otherwise, as desired.

It will be understood that the construction herein set forth may be modified to some eX- teint without material departure from the spirit and principle of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An appliance of the class herein described comprising a protective and supporting member, as 2, composed of a plurality of superimposed layers of iexible material, the front layer thereof being provided with a series of suitably-spaced openings; stud-like fasteners projecting outwardly through each one of said openings; a universally-exible leader loosely interposed between adjoining layers of said member and consecutively connecting said studlike fasteners by being coiled around each of them and upon itself, each of said fasteners being adapted to firmly engage the leader and accordingly resist detachment from said member; and means for retaining said member in position for service at the abdomen of the user. p

2. An appliance of the class herein described comprising a protective and supporting member, as 2, composed of a plurality of superimposed layers of flexible material, the front layer thereof being provided with a series of suitably-spaced openings; stud-like fasteners projecting outwardly through each one of said openings; a universally-flexible leader loosely interposed between adjoining layers of said member, the said leader consecutively connecting said fasteners by being coiled around each of them and upon itself; means for adjustably connecting the'ends of said leader and whereby the latter may be adjusted as to length, each of the fasteners Vbeing adapted to firmly engage the leader and accordingly resist detachment from said member; and means for retaining said member in position for service at the abdomen of the user.

EVERETT L. ABBOTT.

Witnesses:

ALBERT C. TANNER, F. W. BEARDSLEY. 

